Webtagr - Technology News Summarizer

Beyond Copilot: Rethinking AI Design with Heads-Up Displays

2025-07-28

This article critiques the prevalent "copilot" metaphor for AI design, advocating instead for a more effective "heads-up display" (HUD) approach. Using the analogy of airplane piloting, it contrasts the copilot model (requiring interaction with the AI) with the HUD model (directly enhancing human perception). The author argues that while a copilot might suffice for routine tasks, for complex problems, a HUD—augmenting human capabilities, such as enhanced debugger UIs—offers greater potential for breakthroughs. This piece offers a fresh perspective on AI design, emphasizing technology as an extension rather than a replacement for human capabilities.

(www.geoffreylitt.com)

AI

Building a Powerful Family AI Assistant with a Simple SQLite Database

2025-04-14

This article details Stevens, a family AI assistant built using a simple SQLite database and cron jobs. It integrates calendar events, weather forecasts, and mail information, sending a daily briefing via Telegram. Stevens' architecture is straightforward: a central SQLite database storing various information and cron jobs importing data from sources like calendars, weather APIs, and email. The author emphasizes the simplicity and encourages readers to replicate and extend the project.

(www.geoffreylitt.com)

Development

Avoid the 'Nightmare Bicycle': Systemic Thinking in Product Design

2025-03-05

This article criticizes the tendency in product design to oversimplify user experience. Using the 'nightmare bicycle' (lacking numbered gears, only having scenario-specific buttons) as an example, it argues that such designs obscure the underlying system's structure, ultimately hindering user efficiency. Good design reveals the system's structure, enabling users to understand and apply it; poor design replaces systematic understanding with superficial labels, ultimately limiting user learning and application. The author advocates against oversimplification, trusting users' learning ability – just like a microwave only needs time and power buttons, users can figure out how to cook.

(www.geoffreylitt.com)

Design systemic thinking

Wildcard: Spreadsheet-Powered Website Customization

2025-01-05

Wildcard, a browser extension developed by MIT PhD student Geoffrey Litt, lets users modify websites to their liking using a familiar spreadsheet interface. The project, detailed in several academic papers and showcased in demo videos (like adding read times to Hacker News), is currently in development but offers a downloadable dev build. Explore its potential for personalized web experiences.

(www.geoffreylitt.com)

Development web customization